Flush toilet bowl

ABSTRACT

A flush toilet bowl capable of satisfactorily cleaning a toilet during a power failure is provided. The flush toilet bowl includes: a toilet bowl main body ( 10 ) that includes a bowl ( 11 ); a toilet bowl device ( 30 ) that is attached to the toilet bowl main body ( 10 ) including a human body detection sensor ( 32 A), a local cleaning device ( 31 ), a heated toilet seat ( 21 ), or the like and is driven using a commercial power source (P) as a power source; and a toilet bowl cleaning device ( 50 ) that is driven using a battery ( 55 ) as a power source and supplies cleaning water to the bowl ( 11 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a flush toilet bowl.

BACKGROUND ART

Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional flush toilet bowl. The flushtoilet bowl is provided with a toilet bowl cleaning device thatincludes: a cleaning tank which stores cleaning water; and a pressurepump which supplies the cleaning water stored in the cleaning tank to atoilet bowl main body. In the toilet bowl cleaning device, when a powerfailure occurs during operation of the pressure pump, according to therotation by an inertial force in the rotating portion thereof, thecleaning water having a volume of water required for performing watersealing in a water sealing portion of the toilet bowl main body can besupplied to the toilet bowl main body.

Accordingly, in the flush toilet bowl, even when the power failureoccurs while performing toilet cleaning, the water sealing in the watersealing portion of the bowl can be achieved. Therefore, in the flushtoilet bowl, it is possible to prevent offensive odor from reverselyflowing from the downstream side of the water sealing portion to thebowl side.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS Patent Document [Patent Document 1] JapaneseUnexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2008-174944 SUMMARYOF INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention

However, in the flush toilet bowl of Patent Document 1, since the toiletbowl cleaning device for supplying the cleaning water to the toilet bowlmain body to perform water sealing of the water sealing portion isprovided, when the power failure occurs while performing the toiletcleaning, general toilet cleaning cannot be performed during a powerfailure.

The present invention is made in consideration of the above-describedproblem in the related art, and an object thereof is to provide a flushtoilet bowl capable of satisfactorily performing toilet cleaning duringa power failure.

Means for Solving the Problems

A flush toilet bowl of the present invention includes: a toilet bowlmain body that includes a bowl; a toilet bowl device that is attached tothe toilet bowl main body including a human body detection sensor, alocal cleaning device, a heated toilet seat, or the like and is drivenusing a commercial power source as a power source; and a toilet bowlcleaning device that is driven using a battery as a power source andsupplies cleaning water to the bowl.

In the flush toilet bowl, even during a power failure, since the toiletbowl cleaning device can be driven using the battery as the powersource, the cleaning water can be supplied to the bowl of the toiletbowl main body. Moreover, since the toilet bowl device uses thecommercial power source as the power source and is separated from thebattery which is the power source of the toilet bowl cleaning device,the battery is not used except for driving the toilet bowl cleaningdevice. Accordingly, consumption of electricity of the batterydecreases, and even during the power failure, the toilet bowl cleaningdevice can be repeatedly driven.

Therefore, in the flush toilet bowl of the present invention, the toiletcleaning can be satisfactorily performed during the power failure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a flush toilet bowl of Example 1.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a flush toilet bowl of Example 2.

EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described.

The battery is a secondary battery, and a generator that charges thebattery may be provided. In this case, since the battery is charged bythe generator, a need for battery replacement can be almost eliminated.Moreover, if the generator generates electricity using a water flow ofcleaning water which is supplied to a bowl by driving a toilet bowlcleaning device, the battery can be automatically charged when thecleaning water is supplied to the bowl.

A charging circuit that is capable of charging the battery from thecommercial power source may be provided. In this case, it is possible toprevent a charge amount of the battery from being excessively decreased.Accordingly, since the toilet bowl cleaning device can be reliablydriven by the battery as the power source, toilet cleaning can always beperformed satisfactorily.

The charging circuit can charge the battery during a set period of time.In this case, if the battery can be charged during a period of timebefore a period of time having a high use frequency of a flush toiletbowl, after that, even when the toilet bowl cleaning device isrepeatedly driven, a deficiency in the charge amount of the battery doesnot easily occur. In addition, if the battery is charged during a periodof nighttime, the battery can be charged at a lower electricity rate.

A charging switch that turns on and turns off the charging of thebattery by the charging circuit, may be provided. In this case, thebattery can be charged as desired.

Next, Examples 1 and 2 in which the flush toilet bowl of the presentinvention is embodied will be described with reference to the drawings.

Example 1

As shown in FIG. 1, a flush toilet bowl of Example 1 includes a toiletbowl main body 10 having a bowl 11, a toilet bowl device 30 that isattached to the toilet bowl main body 10, and a toilet bowl cleaningdevice 50 that supplies cleaning water to the bowl 11.

The bowl 11 includes a rim water channel 12 which is formed on an uppercircumferential edge thereof and through which the cleaning water flows.The toilet bowl main body 10 includes a toilet drainage channel 13 whichcommunicates with the downstream side of the bowl 11. The toilet bowlmain body 10 includes a rim nozzle 14 which discharges the cleaningwater along the rim water channel 12, and a jet nozzle 15 which isprovided on the lower end of the bowl 11 and discharges the cleaningwater toward the toilet drainage channel 13. A rim water supply channel16 is connected to the upstream side of the rim nozzle 14, and a jetwater supply channel 17 is connected to the upstream side of the jetnozzle 15. The upstream end of the rim water supply channel 16 and theupstream end of the jet water supply channel 17 are joined to eachother, and communicate with a water supply source 18 having a watersupply pressure.

The flush toilet bowl includes: a toilet seat box 20 which is mounted ona rear upper surface of the toilet bowl main body 10; and a heatedtoilet seat 21 and a seat cover 22 which are rotatably supported by afront surface of the toilet seat box 20. In the heated toilet seat 21, aflat heater is attached on the inner side of the seat surface thereof.The flat heater generates heat using a commercial power source P as thepower source. Accordingly, the heated toilet seat 21 can warm the seatsurface.

In addition, the flush toilet bowl includes a local cleaning device 31and the toilet bowl cleaning device 50 which are built in the toiletseat box 20. The local cleaning device 31 includes a remote controller31A having an operation button. If the operation button of the remotecontroller 31A is operated, operation signals are sent to the localcleaning device 31 from the remote controller 31A. The local cleaningdevice 31 uses the commercial power source P as the power source, and isdriven according to the operation signals sent from the remotecontroller 31A.

The toilet bowl cleaning device 50 includes: a rim open-close valve 51provided in the rim water supply channel 16; a jet open-close valve 52provided in the jet water supply channel 17; and a controller 53 thatsends the open-close signals to the rim open-close valve 51 and the jetopen-close valve 52. Moreover, the toilet bowl cleaning device 50includes: a generator 54 that is provided in the rim water supplychannel 16 and generates electricity by a water flow in the rim watersupply channel 16; and a lithium ion secondary battery 55 thataccumulates the electricity generated by the generator 54. The toiletbowl cleaning device 50 drives the controller 53, the rim open-closevalve 51, and the jet open-close valve 52 using the electricityaccumulated in the lithium ion secondary battery 55. In addition, thetoilet bowl cleaning device 50 includes an operation button 56 thatperforms toilet cleaning.

In the toilet bowl cleaning device 50, if the operation button 56 isoperated, the controller 53 sends open-close signals to the rimopen-close valve 51 and the jet open-close valve 52 according to apredetermined cleaning pattern, and the toilet cleaning is performed. Asan example of the cleaning pattern, first, after rim cleaningdischarging the cleaning water from the rim nozzle 14 is performed, jetcleaning discharging the cleaning water from the jet nozzle 15 isperformed, and thereafter, the rim cleaning discharging the cleaningwater from the rim nozzle 14 is performed. That is, in the toiletcleaning, a surface of the bowl 11 is cleaned by the initial rimcleaning and a level of the cleaning water in the bowl 11 increases, andthereafter, a siphon effect is generated in the toilet drainage channel13 by the jet cleaning, waste or the like in the bowl 11 is discharged,and water sealing in the bowl 11 is formed by the later rim cleaning.

The flush toilet bowl includes an automatic cleaning device 32 thatcarries out the toilet cleaning in the toilet bowl cleaning device 50.The automatic cleaning device 32 uses the commercial power source P asthe power source. The automatic cleaning device 32 includes a human bodydetection sensor 32A that detects a user who approaches the toilet bowlmain body 10. After the user uses the flush toilet bowl, if the humanbody detection sensor 32A detects that the user is separated from thetoilet bowl main body 10, the automatic cleaning device 32 sends thetoilet cleaning signals to the controller 53 of the toilet bowl cleaningdevice 50 to perform toilet cleaning. The controller 53 of the toiletbowl cleaning device 50 receiving the toilet cleaning signals sendsopen-close signals to the rim open-close valve 51 and the jet open-closevalve 52 according to a predetermined cleaning pattern, and performs thetoilet cleaning.

Moreover, the remote controller 31A of the local cleaning device 31includes a toilet cleaning button. If the toilet cleaning button ispressed, the toilet cleaning signals are sent to the controller 53 ofthe toilet bowl cleaning device 50 via the local cleaning device 31.Also in this case, the controller 53 of the toilet bowl cleaning device50 receiving the toilet cleaning signals sends open-close signals to therim open-close valve 51 and the jet open-close valve 52 according to apredetermined cleaning pattern, and performs the toilet cleaning.

In the flush toilet bowl, the heated toilet seat 21, the local cleaningdevice 31, and the automatic cleaning device 32 correspond to the toiletbowl device 30.

In the flush toilet bowl including the above-described configuration,when a power failure does not occur, the toilet cleaning can beperformed by operating the automatic cleaning device 32 or the toiletcleaning button provided on the remote controller 31A of the localcleaning device 31. On the other hand, during the power failure, thetoilet cleaning can be performed by operating the operation button 56 ofthe toilet bowl cleaning device 50. At this time, the controller 53, therim open-close valve 51, and the jet open-close valve 52 which areincluded in the toilet bowl cleaning device 50 are driven usingelectricity accumulated in the lithium ion secondary battery 55. Sincethe lithium ion secondary battery 55 is separated from the heated toiletseat 21, the local cleaning device 31, and the automatic cleaning device32 which are included in the toilet bowl device 30, the lithium ionsecondary battery 55 is not used except for driving of the toilet bowlcleaning device 50. Accordingly, consumption of electricity of thelithium ion secondary battery 55 decreases, and the toilet bowl cleaningdevice 50 can be repeatedly driven even during a power failure.

Therefore, the flush toilet bowl of Example 1 can satisfactorily performtoilet cleaning during a power failure.

In addition, the lithium ion secondary battery 55 is provided in the rimwater supply channel 16, and can be charged by the generator 54 whichgenerates electricity by the water flow in the rim water supply channel16. Therefore, the lithium ion secondary battery 55 can be automaticallycharged when the toilet cleaning is performed. Moreover, the need forbattery replacement almost does not occur.

Example 2

As shown in FIG. 2, a difference between flush toilet bowls of Examples1 and 2 is that, in the flush toilet bowl of Example 2, a chargingcircuit 33 capable of charging the lithium ion secondary battery 55 fromthe commercial power source P is provided. The same reference numeralsare assigned to the same configurations as in Example 1, and thedetailed descriptions are omitted here.

In the flush toilet bowl, charging circuits 33 capable of charging thelithium ion secondary battery 55 are provided in the local cleaningdevice 31 and the automatic cleaning device 32, respectively. Thecharging circuits 33 are set to charge the lithium ion secondary battery55 during the nighttime, for example, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m.

Accordingly, since the lithium ion secondary battery 55 can be fullycharged before a period of time in the morning having a high usefrequency of the flush toilet bowl, even when the toilet bowl cleaningdevice 50 is repeatedly driven after that, a deficiency in a chargeamount of the lithium ion secondary battery 55 does not easily occur. Inthis way, since it is possible to prevent the charge amount of thelithium ion secondary battery 55 from being excessively decreased, thetoilet bowl cleaning device 50 can be reliably driven, and the toiletcleaning can always be performed satisfactorily. In addition, since thecharging is performed during a period of nighttime, the lithium ionsecondary battery 55 can be charged at a lower electricity rate.

The remote controller 31A of the local cleaning device 31 includes acharging switch which turns on and turns off the charging of the lithiumion second battery 55 by the charging circuit 33. By turning on thecharging switch, the charging circuit 33 of the local cleaning device 31can charge the lithium ion secondary battery 55. In this way, in theflush toilet bowl, the lithium ion secondary battery 55 can be chargedas desired.

In the flush toilet bowl including the above-described configuration,when a power failure does not occur, the toilet cleaning can beperformed by operating the automatic cleaning device 32 or the toiletcleaning button provided on the remote controller 31A of the localcleaning device 31. On the other hand, during the power failure, thetoilet cleaning can be performed by operating the operation button 56 ofthe toilet bowl cleaning device 50. At this time, the controller 53, therim open-close valve 51, and the jet open-close valve 52 which areincluded in the toilet bowl cleaning device 50 are driven usingelectricity accumulated in the lithium ion secondary battery 55. Sincethe lithium ion secondary battery 55 is separated from the heated toiletseat 21, the local cleaning device 31, and the automatic cleaning device32 which are included in the toilet bowl device 30, the lithium ionsecondary battery 55 is not used except for driving of the toilet bowlcleaning device 50. Accordingly, consumption of electricity of thelithium ion secondary battery 55 decreases, and the toilet bowl cleaningdevice 50 can be repeatedly driven even during a power failure.

Therefore, the flush toilet bowl of Example 2 can satisfactorily performtoilet cleaning during a power failure.

The present invention is not limited to the examples which are describedaccording to the descriptions and the drawings, and for example, thefollowing examples are also included in the technical scope of thepresent invention.

(1) In Examples 1 and 2, the lithium ion secondary battery is used asthe power source of the toilet bowl cleaning device. However, othersecondary batteries or capacitors of a large capacity may be used as thepower source of the toilet bowl cleaning device.(2) In Examples 1 and 2, the lithium ion secondary battery is used asthe power source of the toilet bowl cleaning device. However, a primarybattery may be used as the power source of the toilet bowl cleaningdevice. In this case, the generator charging the battery is notrequired.(3) In Examples 1 and 2, the generator is provided in the rim watersupply channel.

However, the generator may be provided in the jet water supply channel.In this case, the generator may be provided in each of the rim watersupply channel and the jet water supply channel, and may be providedonly in the jet water supply channel.

(4) In Examples 1 and 2, the generator generating electricity using thewater flow in the rim water supply channel is provided. However, thegenerator generating electricity using other means may be provided.(5) In Examples 1 and 2, the toilet bowl device includes the heatedtoilet seat, the local cleaning device, and the automatic cleaningdevice. However, it is sufficient that the toilet bowl device includesat least one of these. Moreover, toilet bowl devices equivalent to thesemay be provided.(6) In Example 2, the lithium ion secondary battery is charged during aperiod of nighttime. However, the lithium ion secondary battery may becharged during other periods of time.(7) In Example 2, the local cleaning device and the automatic cleaningdevice each include a charging circuit; however, the charging circuitmay be provided in only one thereof.(8) In Example 2, the charging switch is provided in the remotecontroller of the local cleaning device. However, the charging switchmay not be provided.

Reference Signs List

10: toilet bowl main body

11: bowl

30: toilet bowl device (21: heated toilet seat, 31: local cleaningdevice, and 32A: human body detection sensor)

33: charging circuit

50: toilet bowl cleaning device

54: generator

55: lithium ion secondary battery (battery)

P: commercial power source

1. A flush toilet bowl comprising: a toilet bowl main body that includesa bowl; a toilet bowl device that is attached to the toilet bowl mainbody including a human body detection sensor, a local cleaning device, aheated toilet seat, or the like and is driven using a commercial powersource as a power source; and a toilet bowl cleaning device that isdriven using a battery as a power source and supplies cleaning water tothe bowl.
 2. The flush toilet bowl according to claim 1, wherein thebattery is a secondary battery, and a generator that charges the batteryis provided.
 3. The flush toilet bowl according to claim 2, furthercomprising: a charging circuit that is capable of charging the batteryfrom the commercial power source.
 4. The flush toilet bowl according toclaim 3, wherein the charging circuit charges the battery during a setperiod of time.
 5. The flush toilet bowl according to claim 3, furthercomprising: a charging switch that turns on and turns off charging ofthe battery by the charging circuit.